Long-time prep baseball head coach retires. He said farewell at All-Star game

The City All-Star baseball team gave McLane coach Jim Sirimarco a very good send off.

Cayden Munster of Clovis West hit a two-run home run to help the City to a 5-4 victory over County in the City/County All-Star high school baseball game that was played Sunday evening at Chukchansi Park in Fresno. It was the City’s sixth consecutive win.

This is the last game as a head coach for Sirimarco after spending many years at McLane.

“It’s been a long time and it’s going to take some getting used to not being involved,” he said before Sunday’s game. “At the level that I’ve been involved in, with the football aspect of it and the baseball aspect of it, it’s going to take some adjustment, I think.”

Sirimarco didn’t rule out being involved as an assistant, but being the head coach takes a lot of dedication and hard work that he’s really enjoyed over the years.

Sirimarco led the Highlanders to a section championship in 2008 in Division III.

He’s coached for 53 years, starting out as McLane’s junior varsity baseball coach during Merv Carter’s varsity tenure and compiled a 402-129 JV record, according to section historian Bob Barnett.

He also was the head varsity football coach from 1982-91 and finished with a 48-48-4 record.

In 1991, he was named the Highlanders’ baseball coach. On May 2, Barnett said Sirimarco became the 17th coach in section history to reach 400 career wins after a 10-0 win over Roosevelt.

“There have been so many people that have helped me along the way and it’s been a long time and it’s been fun, it’s gone by very quickly,” Sirimarco said.

“But I’ve had lot of help. A lot of people that I would just think if I could see them face to face that have helped me along and basically made my career one of those more enjoyable than I can even mention.”

Before Sunday’s game, Sirimarco joked that he wanted to get kicked out of the All-Star game.

He was figuring out a way, but that didn’t happen and he got to see the City win the game despite the County rallying with two runs in the seventh inning.

It was a joyous moment for Sirimarco, who also had Brad Fontes (Buchanan), Bryan Marsoobian (Buchanan), Jim Wilson (Buchanan), J.D. Salles (Clovis), John Salles (Clovis), Brandon Simon (Clovis North), Marciano Carona (McLane), Sotero Ortega (McLane) and Rod Hawkins (McLane) as his assistants.

Sirmarco reflected on his journey at McLane.

“What can I say about McLane? Fifty years of my life there,” he said. “I went through the door 50 times for 50 years worth and I’ve never ever (thought that) teaching and coaching .... I never felt like it was work. It was always fun, even in the classroom. It’s just the nature of the beast at that school. Kids are great. They’ve been great all along. I’m so blessed to be able to be there for the length of time.”

City-County roster

Many players played in the annual game, in front of at least 3,000 fans.

City roster: Eli Henderson (Clovis), Nolan Keene (Fresno), Colton O’Toole (Buchanan), Cameron Schneider (Bullard), Logan Borboa (Clovis), Jace Davies (Buchanan), Jaden Carrillo (Clovis), Sam Rodriguez (Edison), Blake Anderson (San Joaquin Memorial), Ryan Napier (Clovis), Trevor Wilson (Bullard), Jordan Chairez (Fresno), Jaxon Murphy (Bullard), Luke Beal (Bullard), Brady Feramisco (Fresno), Richardo Rosas (Clovis West), Dylan Senneway (Buchanan), JP Acosta (Buchanan), Caleb Cazares (Clovis North), Dominik Espinosa (Fresno), Braden Guentz (Buchanan), Nate Logan (Clovis North), Josue Lopez (Sunnyside), Jonah Fragus (Clovis West), Joaquin Magana (Sunnyside), Nicholas Morrelli (Clovis), Sam Reynolds (Bullard), Cayden Munster (Clovis West), Mario Corona (McLane), Trent Hill (Buchanan), Mason Martino (Clovis East), Drake Phillips (Buchanan), Caleb Compton (Fresno Christian), Christian Badger (Clovis West), Logan Krueger (Fresno Christian)

County roster: Zax Cerrato (Washington Union), Dominick Najar (Lemoore), Rodney Haro (Fowler), Dominic Puentes (Kerman), Julian Garza (Sanger), Isaiah Leyva (Firebaugh), Xavier Cantu (Madera South), Isaac Gonzalez (Mendota), Ethan Clark (Reedley), Aaron Jones (Dos Palos), Payton Garcia (Fowler), Kyle Plaza (Washington Union), Jess Tischmacher (Lemoore), Noe Salazar (Kerman), Nolan Reeves (Minarets), Jace Roderick (Coalinga), Dayton Tafoya (Central), Dylan Whiteman (Liberty-Madera Ranchos), Ethan Winslow (Kingsburg), Chris Mendoza (Fowler), Manuel Bautista (Firebaugh), Preston Ingrao (Kingsburg), Collin Hirschkorn (Caruthers), Armando Mejia (Dinuba), Byron Andrade (Sanger), Gavin Kyker (Lemoore), Noah Mitchell (Sierra), Dallan Alles (Central), Francisco Espejo (Madera), Benji Molina (Madera), Miguel Alvarado (Selma), Isaiah Gonzalez (Lemoore), Isac Mandjuano (Dos Palos), Emiliano Murillo (Lemoore), Jimmy Cranford (Kingsburg). Head coach: Israel Gonzalez (Lemoore). Assistants: Jim Cranford (Kingsburg), Bill Feaver (Fowler), David Garcia (Lemoore), Tim Henson (Lemoore), Jed Johnson (Lemoore), Scott Loper (Lemoore), Matt Madrigal (Lemoore), Brent Morrelli (Dinuba).